AFAR Magazine

The premier AFAR Experiences program kicks off in Egypt, introducing travelers to influential locals who are reimagining—and remaking—their country.

Egypt today is a place of great hope and uncertainty. The euphoria that followed the toppling of dictator Hosni Mubarak last February has given way to the realities of rebuilding a country that faces serious problems—including unemployment, illiteracy, and religious intolerance. But Egyptians are embracing these challenges with an energy that had been suppressed for decades under autocratic rule. And they are doing so with a national pride that draws on 5,000 years of history.

While foreigners tend to hear only about the struggles and conflicts taking place in Cairo, there are many other stories unfolding in this vibrant city of 20 million people. To get a deeper sense of life there, a group of 35 travelers—a diverse delegation of AFAR readers and staff members— journeyed to Egypt at the end of October. We connected with leaders that AFAR Experiences brought together: architects, businesspeople, filmmakers, professors, musicians, and politicians. We talked candidly about the thorny issues the country is facing. We listened, and we asked questions.

Over the course of three intense and fun days, our group met Cairenes who are shaping the future of their country. As we visited churches and mosques, shopped in labyrinthine bazaars, walked through Tahrir Square, and shared meals with our Egyptian hosts, our understanding of the place grew more nuanced. And it became even clearer that as the largest nation in the Arab world, the second-largest economy in Africa, and the home of one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, Egypt has a crucial role to play on the world stage. During our time in the perpetually busy and sprawling city, we saw artists paint ceramic tiles, we danced to trancelike Zar music at a cultural center in a former slum, and we watched a puppet show on the banks of the Nile. At the renowned Egyptian Museum, we saw ancient treasures that have always drawn travelers to Egypt. We engaged in conversations at dinner tables and over drinks, and we felt the warmth of Egyptian hospitality.

The Cairo trip was the first of what will be many AFAR Experiences events. We at AFAR Media want to bring the spirit of this magazine to life and help travelers see the world in new ways. These meaningful experiences provide exclusive, intimate access to fascinating destinations; offer the opportunity to connect with locals; and spark immersive discussions with visionaries, from political leaders to entrepreneurs to cultural innovators.

By the time the AFAR Experiences Cairo event came to a close at a party overlooking the Giza pyramids, members of our group had developed a deeper understanding of life in Egypt. We learned firsthand about the dreams and the fears of individual Egyptians. We got beyond the headlines and got to know the real people engaged in the debates that are redefining a country. Seif Fahmy, one of the AFAR Experiences speakers who works in public policy and business, summed up the event perfectly: “The best way to get to know a country is to get to know the locals of that country.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. On the following pages, you’ll meet some of the locals whom we met in Cairo and learn, as we did, what they’re doing to shape the Egypt of tomorrow.—The Editors

AFAR Experiences Cairo